Sport Preview: Sailing
Ten nations will compete in sailing at the Samoa 2019 XVI Pacific Games, with races starting on Tuesday 9 July at Sheraton Samoa Beach Resort Mulifanua.
American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tahiti will take to the waters in four different events across 10 days of competition.
The program also includes para sailing and kiteboarding events that are part of the Oceania Championships, but not the Samoa 2019 Pacific Games.
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Last time out at the Port Moresby 2015 XV Pacific Games, New Caledonia topped the medal table with two gold, three silver and a bronze. Cook Islands and Australia each won two gold medals.
Sailors will race in Radial and Laser boats, which are single person dinghies for women and men respectively, plus catamarans, which feature two sailors per vessel.
The first week of the Games will see women’s one person dinghy, para sailing and kiteboard events, while the second week’s program comprises men’s one person dinghy and catamaran races.
The exciting and unpredictable nature of the sport means that athletes do not find out exactly what course they are sailing until a few minutes before the race starts. Organisers monitor wind speed and direction before deciding on the course for the event, while tide has an effect on how the sailors tackle the race.
Despite unpredictable conditions, most races are likely to be won in around 30 minutes, with kiteboarding and para events likely to take closer to 10 minutes.
Sailing begins at 9am on Tuesday 9 July at Sheraton Samoa Beach Resort Mulifanua, and entry is free.
